Now, Payjo’s Bot will recharge your phone

BENGALURU: Fintech payments startup Payjo has launched its product Recharge Bot, an application virtualisation platform for recharging prepaid phone accounts through Facebook messenger, the product has seen up to 2,000 users since its launch over 48 hours ago.

The application does not need to be downloaded as a separate app but is easily available if one searches for Recharge Bot on Facebook. In few days, the app plans to integrate its bot with several messaging platforms, including WhatsApp which will open its bot APIs for integration.

“The number of individuals who recharge their phones multiple times a month is very high. Once your number is registered you can just send the bot a message for recharging your phone within minutes,” said Srinivas Njay, cofounder of Payjo. The startup has partnered with Instamojo and PayU as their payment gateway partners.

By next week, Recharge Bot will be introduced in 14 Indian languages, this move is aimed at tapping over 400-million smartphone users that are coming online, largely from tier-II and III cities.

The startup claims to have partnered with select NBFC’s and banks, the names of which they did not disclose, and are currently working on integrating a Unified Payment Interface (UPI) based system into their product, ensuring the end user only has to click on a link, type a 4 digit code to complete the payment process.

According to Njay, this is just their first user case and eventually the company aims to collate all online utility bills on one platform.

Separately, RCom initiated contempt proceedings in the apex court against the Department of Telecommunications, blaming it for delaying a spectrum sale that would have enabled dues to be paid to Ericsson and lenders.